Wahoo!

I returned home this evening to two new donations. Wow! Thanks so much to Terrill and Will in Alaska and to Cindy and Peter here in Oregon. Your donations and support are really appreciated. I will be running tomorrow morning to hold up my end of the bargain here.

It is only too bad that when I get up to Alaska for the marathon Terrill will have since moved to California. Hopefully one of Mark's frisbee tournaments will take us to Northern California sometime and we can visit then.

And Cindy, I am still doing my best snow dance. It looks like things look better for this week.

Thanks!

I Love Central Oregon

We just got back from a weekend trip to Sunriver. We skied at Mt. Bachelor on Friday, and then I went on a beautiful 8 to 9 mile run on Saturday. I ran along a path on along the Deschutes River and around the Sunriver golf course. The sun was beaming down, the air was still a bit brisk, the path was mostly empty, and I had a really peaceful run. I felt great, which I wasn't expecting since the altitude is just over 4,000 feet, so that boosted my confidence a bit too.

Later in the day, my friend Laura and I rode around the same loop on some bikes provided by the rental house. They were those big granny bikes with cushy, springy seats and really high handlebars. Laura's bike had a somewhat wobbly back wheel. I probably should have switched with her since she is pregnant, but she has a bit of experience riding bikes with D-shaped wheels (another story for another time). Her bike also sounded like croaking frogs.

Our bike ride was really quite beautiful. The late afternoon sunlight turned everything to gold, and we spotted two bald eagles and a red-tailed hawk. Usually, when we are in Sunriver we spend most of our time skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, or filling our days with other activities. Yesterday, because I knew I wanted to run on the paths there, we just stayed around the house and enjoyed the day. I ran, walked over to the village to wander through a couple of shops, got coffee, rode bikes, then relaxed at the house. We had a really unstructured day and that was exactly what we needed. We'll need to remember to do more of this next time we go on vacation.

Progress Report

I am feeling mostly on track with both the fundraising and the running. Many thanks to Trixieracer and Flinch for their donation and support. As I said in my e-mail, you guys rock. I will leave the rest of you wondering just who the heck these mysterious contributors really are.

Today I think I ran just over 5 miles. I felt pretty good, but was dressed a little too warmly. When I left the house the air was still a bit chilly, but toward the end of the run I found I was seeking out shaded sidewalks that would be a little cooler. That doesn't usually happen until at least May. I also broke out the sunglasses today. I am hoping to run 4 to 5 miles tomorrow and then perhaps 8 on Saturday or Sunday. I think if I take it easy 8 miles should be no problem. I'll keep you posted as to whether or not this is a realistic expectation. ;-)

Is It Really February? Or Is It May?

Our weather up here in Mossland has been stunningly beautiful for much of January and now most of February. Today was once again sunny and warm. We wake up to below-freezing temperatures that rise quickly as the sun rises in the sky. I think the high temperature here at our house was around 65° or 67° today. The temperature hit 70° today in Kelso. I went skiing a couple of days ago, and the snowpack is suffering from the sun and warmth. Watching the news tonight, it looks like the freezing level is way up at 9,800 feet. I wonder how many more ski days I'll have left this season. I've never seen a year like this. It should be interesting to watch and see how the next few months play out.

Seven Miles That Went By Rather Quickly

Time goes by so much faster and pain free when you are running with a group. We took off running along the Eastbank Esplanade, ran a comfortable and conversational pace, and before I knew it we had been running for over an hour and were nearly all the way back to our cars. Today my legs weren't really tired, my breathing was pretty comfortable, and I felt like I could have run at least a couple more miles. This is preferable to feeling like crud.

It is always easier to make myself get up and get out there to run if I feel like people are waiting on me. I also know that I am a better runner when I am running with others. I don't know if I am just distracted or if my breathing actually changes because I'm talking, but I rarely notice if I'm tired. I listen to music if I'm not running with another person, but I generally still end up looking at my watch a lot, wondering how far I've run, how far I have yet to go, why I feel so fatigued, etc. Seems a little like workplace behavior. When we are busy and distracted by work, the day zips by quickly. When we don't have much going on or are filling our time with mindless busywork, we check the clock every 15 minutes.

Progress

I feel like I am making great running progress. I ran 4 miles with my running partner yesterday and felt great the whole way. It is amazing how short those runs feel after a 7-mile run. I am hoping to run 7 to 8 miles tomorrow.

I also had a fun lunch with my aunt-in-law, Nancy, yesterday. I rode the MAX downtown and we ate at Green Papaya. I had a big, steaming bowl of pho. Yum! That really made me happy. And more thanks to Nancy for her donation to our great little cause here.

Today started off alright, but got a bit mixed up halfway through the day. I was supposed to be at the chiropractor's office at noon, but I thought the appointment was at 12:30, so I didn't make it. I did do some back strengthening exercises at the gym this morning, and I think I'll start swimming on the days I'm not running, so hopefully that will help out too. This getting older stuff is not for me. Anyone with me on this?

Rest Day

So I am feeling a little like a slacker today for not running. I was a little worn out from running 7 miles on Monday and then my long ski day yesterday, so I decided a rest day would be alright. The run on Monday was pretty great. My goal was just to get out and run that far, not necessarily run it fast. That worked out well. My cardiovascular system didn't seem too taxed, but by the time I finished my legs were ready to be done. It is pretty interesting how you can build your body's strength up week to week. I am looking forward to finishing a 15 or 18 mile run. Right now it seems so far off, but I bet the time will fly by quickly. It always does.

The skiing yesterday was great. Clear blue skies, no wind, a little fresh snow. The snow coverage was quite a bit better than last week too. We are all hoping for another storm over the weekend to help build up the base a bit more. This has been such a strange winter for weather. It seems to have hardly rained much at all.

Tomorrow I am hoping to get out for a nice 4-5 mile run before our team run on Saturday when I think I'll try to run 7-8 miles.

Another Fantastic Saturday!

Today was an all-around great day. The run this morning was good again, and I felt truly strong for the first time since last Saturday. I came home, made lunch, and took a quick nap on the couch while Mark played Warcraft.

After dinner I popped onto the computer to look up movie times and check my e-mail...and surprise...another donation! Thank you Sharon and Doug! You guys definitely put a smile on my face this evening! I am so happy everyone is so supportive of my endeavor to raise money for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Again, I had no idea how motivated I'd be by everyone's support. I really feel like a have a reason to get out there and run now. I am slowly beginning to understand why so many people that have run marathons with Team in Training say it is a life-changing event.

Thanks to all of you wonderful people out there.

Getting Better

I've finally been feeling better these last couple of days. I am so glad. I ran about 3 miles last night with Mark, and that was okay. I was pretty fatigued, and my stomach was still cranky, but other than that I was alright. Today I took a rest day and just went to the gym class I go to on Fridays. I like to call it Ladies' P.E. Although it is actually Ladies' P.E. +Butch (Butch is usually the lone guy in the class, and he is our resident movie critic). We worked out on the weight machines, did some interval training on the treadmills, then played soccer for 25 or so minutes.

Afterward I met my friend Rebecca for lunch at the Longbottom Coffee House. Thanks for the donation, Rebecca. You rock! We had a fun visit and planned to have lunch again soon. She told me about a few new places around town that I hadn't heard of, one of which is a little coffeehouse very near my house. Mark and I may have to check that out one weekend.

Anyhow, I'm off to sleep. That early morning alarm seems to go off sooner than it should. I think tomorrow we are running between 6 and 8 miles. I'll let you know how it goes.

Picking Myself Back Up

So after my fabulous run on Saturday, I proceeded to spend the latter part of Sunday and all of Monday feeling pretty sick. I couldn't even focus on Super Bowl commercials. I kept falling asleep. That is a sad day in the McGhee household.

I had all that fun stuff...fever, achiness, upset stomach, trouble sleeping, trouble being awake, excessive whineyness (is that a word?). When I'm sick I think I even whine so much that I'm actually talking to myself, although you'd have to confirm this with Mark. I am a most pitiful sicky.

I felt quite a bit better yesterday, although still very tired, and I felt ready to run today. My running partner and I ran about 3.5 to 4 miles today, and I took it pretty easy, as I don't want to invite whatever virus that was back. Thankfully, food is starting to taste better this evening thanks to some molasses cookies my mom sent. I'm not a fan of those days when the only things that seem to even taste palatable are salt crackers and ginger ale. Not too much sustenance there.

I'm planning on running again tomorrow morning. I'm hoping to feel a little stronger.

Last night our TNT marathon group met with a nutritionist who actually runs, and I think her advice will be really helpful down the road.

I'm off to get some more rest.

You Guys Are Great!

I was away for the weekend and came home to find another donation. Wahoo! Thank you, Pat and Ellen, for both your support and your donation. Ellen is the buyer of the Maui Sweet Onion chips for which I have such a weakness (they are so, so good).

I hope you all enjoyed the Super Bowl today. I love to watch the commercials (and maybe some of the football), but I'm feeling a little under the weather and unfortunately slept through most of them.

Fantastic Run This Morning

This morning as I ate my pre-run oatmeal, I checked my e-mail and found out that I got a donation! Thank you Far East Sniders...you guys are super! And thanks for the words of encouragement too.

I had no idea how motivated running for this cause would make me feel. My run this morning was just fantastic. I ran for about 6 miles and felt really good the whole time. I really feel like I am running with a purpose, and I like that. Everything was so quiet and still and cold this morning. It seemed like everyone was safely tucked away at home. The sun was rising brightly in the sky...a good morning to be out.

Thanks for all of your kind words of support. You have no idea how much they mean to me.

Welcome!

So far, everything is going smoothly. I went to our first team run last Saturday morning (very early!), I've run a few times since then, and I went to a fundraising workshop last night. So far, I've got this weblog set up and the donation site set up. I am feeling pretty on track.

A little history for you...

I have been running pretty regularly for a few years, but never thought I'd actually commit to running a marathon (after all, it is pretty much the distance from Hillsboro to Portland International Airport). I went to a Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Team In Training meeting when we lived in Albuquerque, but we were planning our move to Portland and things were just too hectic. The marathon I was interested in at that meeting is the same marathon I am planning on running now, the Mayor's Midnight Sun Marathon in Anchorage.

I am feeling really good about the decision to run and raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. The money we are raising is really making a difference and goes to so many great programs. In addition to their phenomenal research support efforts, the Society is also committed to offering resources, support, financial aid, and educational materials to patients, their family members and friends, and health care professionals.

If you'd like to donate now, feel free to check out the donation site. If you'd like to lurk and just check things out for a while, that is alright too.

Thanks for your support!